Book of Mormon Commentary CofC - Odessa, Missouri Community ...

Book of Mormon Commentary
2 Nephi Chapter 5
JACOB PREACHES TO THE NEPHITES, VER. 1-29
2 Ne 5:2 Behold, my beloved brethren, I, Jacob, having been called of God, and ordained after the
manner of his holy order,
5:2 This sounds much like the original name for the Melchisedec priesthood (D. and C. 104:1b). It
has been made clear, however, that the temple worship was conducted by priests of the Aaronic
order, and was according to the law of Moses. After Moses' time only the “lesser priesthood
continued" (D. and C. 83:4c) until much later in Nephite history.
2 Ne 5:8 And I have spoken unto you concerning all things which are written from the creation of the
world.
5:8 This was not Jacob's first sermon. He said, "I have exhorted you with all diligence" (7). He
next presents some of the prophecies of Isaiah, which was according to the wishes of Nephi (11).
2 Ne 5:14 Wherefore, they may be likened unto you; for ye are of the house of Israel.
5:14 The descendants of Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, were scattered widely. (See
comment on I N. 3:18.) Lehi was a "descendant of Manasseh, who was the son of Joseph, who
was sold into Egypt" (A. 8:3).
Jacob then began to read the words of Isaiah 49:22, 23. Isaiah has been called the "evangelical
prophet." His name signifies "the salvation of God." Mormon told his people to "search the
prophecies of Isaiah" (Mn. 4:27) .(See comments on I N. 6:4 ff. )
2 Ne 5:19 And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers:
5:19 Isaiah is worth studying for his clear, elegant, and dignified style. Here he is consoling the
house of Israel, who had gone into exile or captivity, that this would not always be their fate. "The
time to favor her, yea, the set time" (Ps. 102:13) to favor Zion would come. Those who were
carried into Babylonian captivity who wished to returned were liberated to return under
Zerubbabel and Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem.
In A.D. 70 the city was again destroyed and the Jews were killed or driven out. But in the events
following World War I conditions changed. The Balfour Declaration of November, 1917, looked
with favor upon Palestine as a Jewish homeland. This was ratified July 22, 1922, by the League of
Nations, and Pales- tine made a British mandate. World War II intervened, and it was not until
May 14, 1948, that the Free State of Israel was proclaimed in Tel Aviv, and the British evacuated
Palestine. The same day the United States recognized the de facto government. Before this many
Jews had found places of power and wealth in the royal courts of Europe, and this prophecy seems
to have been literally fulfilled. Thus Jacob declared, "The Lord has shown unto me that they
should return again" (23).
2 Ne 5:24 And he also has shewn unto me, that the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, should manifest
himself unto them in the flesh;